Channel 4 Sales has secured retailer Waitrose, in a deal brokered by MG OMD, as the new sponsor of fan favourite, The Great British Bake Off.
As the official broadcast sponsor, Waitrose idents will feature around the forthcoming Bake Off line up on Channel 4 including: The Great British Bake Off, The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice, The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer, Bake Off: The Professionals, The Great British Bake Off Festive Specials and Junior Bake Off.
The partnership has been cooked up by Channel 4 Sales in partnership with media agency MG OMD with the creative being whisked together by Saatchi & Saatchi, using the sponsorship line “The Great British Bake Off proudly sponsored by Waitrose.” A new suite of playful idents will celebrate all the home baking endeavours that are “Still Good”: those moments – just like in the tent – when it doesn’t all go to plan, but the results taste delicious anyway.
The Great British Bake Off is produced by Love Productions for Channel 4.
Waitrose will first appear on ‘coming soon’ on-air trails this weekend (March 3) for The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer, which returns to Channel 4 this spring with a delectable new mixture of celebrity bakers. Over five new episodes, hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding will welcome the 20 famous faces to the Bake Off tent, where they will try to impress Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith with their baking skills.
The stars facing the signature, technical and showstopper challenges are: comedian & presenter Adam Hills, actor Danny Dyer, comedian and author David O’Doherty, TV and radio broadcaster Dermot O’Leary, comedian Fern Brady, TV presenter Gabby Logan, presenter and children’s author Greg James, actress Jodie Whittaker, actor Joe Locke, comedian Leigh Francis, Spice Girl, TV presenter and patron of Women’s Aid Mel B OBE, broadcaster and satirist Munya Chawawa, TV presenter Oti Mabuse, singer and actress Paloma Faith, broadcaster and writer The Reverend Richard Coles, comedian Rhod Gilbert, broadcaster Sara Cox, broadcaster Spencer Matthews, comedian Suzi Ruffell, and presenter and documentary filmmaker Yinka Bokinni.
Rupinder Downie, sponsorship and commercial partnerships leader, Channel 4, said: “As the name states The Great British Bake Off is quintessentially British so it is a joy to team up with another iconic British brand, Waitrose, for this sponsorship. The partnership is a perfect pairing combining Channel 4’s heart-warming GBBO content with viewers’ love of feel-good food. Broadcast sponsorship remains the optimum environment for brands to align themselves with the positive attributes of the shows that audiences actively seek out .”
Nathan Ansell, customer director at Waitrose & Partners, said: “This is a great partnership for Waitrose, Bake Off is a firm favourite with many of our customers. It presents us with an opportunity to share our love of food with a like minded audience. There are few other opportunities that could offer the scale and impact of this prime time show, in such a contextually perfect environment, and with a brand tone of voice that complements our own so well.”
Maddie Taylor Wilson, at MG OMD, said: “We are so excited to see this partnership between these two well-loved British brands come to life. Bake Off is so well loved and the perfect property for connecting with our audience.”
Franki Goodwin, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, said: “I’m a huge fan of this deal. To be able to connect our favourite supermarket with one of our absolute favourite shows is such a great creative opportunity and one that we will be running at with some simple recipes, loads of good ingredients and a pre-heated oven. The idea is simple and true when it comes to baking – cake a bit wonky? Still good. Biscuits a bit broken? Still good. That’s the spirit of our brand and of the show.”
